Circuit interrupter



y 1932. MH. SHOENBERG ET AL. 1,353,687

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Fiied Sept. 2, 925

INVENTORS M/LT 01V H. Sf/OE/VJEEG Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE MILTON H. SHOENBERG AND LESTER SCHON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA; SAID SCI-ION ASSIGNOR T0 SAID SHOENBER-G CIRCUIT INTERRUPI'ER Application filed September 2, 1926. Serial No. 133,136.

- This invention relates generally to devices for repeatedly or periodically varying an electric current.

In providing interrupter elements for electrical circuits to be used in flashing lights it is convenient to have a device which may be readily incorporated with any standard lamp socket or receptacle. Thus as disclosed by the records of the Patent Oifice, it was first proposed by one of the applicants, Shoenberg, to mount an interrupter element within a relatively thin wafer or disc which could be removably inserted within a lamp socket to place the contacts of the element in series with the circuit. This case is concerned chiefly with certain structural embodiments with which such devices may be incorporated.

It is therefore an object of this invention to devise a simple and efiective form of mounting for an interrupter element so that it may be removably positioned within a lamp socket.

It is a further object of this invention to devise a novel manner for employing a wafer or disc of insulating material for mounting an interrupter element.

Further objects of this invention will appear from the following description in which we have set forth the preferred embodiment of our invention. It is to be understood that the various elements of this invention are to be accorded a range of equivalents consistent with thestate of the prior art.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view partly in cross section showing the device applied to a lamp receptacle.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one embodiment of the circuit interrupter.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 8 but showing a modified form of construction.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a further modification.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the modified form of circuit interrupter shown in Fig. 5.

Fi 7 is a plan view showing another modified orm of construction.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 88 of Fig. 7.

The invention comprises generally a disc or wafer which is preferably made of insulating material and which is provided with a recess for receiving an interrupter element. Thus there has been shown a relatively thin disc 10 made of suitable insulating material such as fibre or a phenolic condensate product. This disc is preferably of correct diameter to be inserted within a standard lamp socket 11 as indicated in 1, so that when a plug or lamp 12 is inserted in the socket, the circuit interrupter will be retained be tween the central contact 13 of the socket and the central contact 14 of the plug or lamp. The interrupter element which is disposed within the disc 10 is electrically connected with contacts arranged upon opposite faces of the disc whereby these contacts serve to place the contacts of the interrupter element in series with the lamp 12 or other circuit.

In the constructions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the interrupter element has been designated generally at 16 and is disposed within a recess 17 provided in the disc 10, this recess preferably extending centrally of the disc. It is obvious that any convenient form of interrupter element may be employed, the particular one shown being of the type described and claimed in our copending patent application No. 751,517, filed Nov. 22, 1924, and entitled Circuit interrupter. This element comprises briefly a pair of bimetallic strips 18 which are provided at their free ends with relatively movable contacts 19. The other ends of the bimetallic strips 18 are secured together in spaced relationship and are in thermal contact with a suitable resistance wire or other form of heating ele ment which is either placed in series or in shunt with the contacts as explained in the above patent application. Disposed upon opposite faces of the disc 10 and preferably arranged to span the recess 17 are the metallic conductor members 20. These members may be made of sheet metal or other suitable material and may be secured in position by means of the cover members 21 which are constructed of insulating material. In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the conductor members 20 are hooked or clinched to the covers 21 and these covers are adhesively secured to the faces of the disc 10. The in- 5 terrupter element 16 may be rigidly mounted Within the recess or it may be merely loosely inserted as shown. The fact that the conductor members span the recess 17 tends to prevent their being forced into direct contact with the interrupter element 16 by screwing the lamp tightly within the socket. These conductor members are of course electrically connected with the interrupter element 16 by means of the terminal wires 22.

In the modification shown in Fig. a: the conductor members are made larger to extend over and cover the recess 17 and are preferably provided with separate terminal contacts. Thus the conductor members 120 20 and 121 have been shown as extended to the periphery of the disc 10 and are provided adjacent their centers with metallic spring contacts 23. In order to insulate the conductor members 121 the entire circuit interrupter is provided with an insulating coy'er constructed of two inter-fitting cup-shaped members 24 and 25, these members being of suitable insulating material such as pyroxyline or a phenolic condensate product. The centers of the cup-shaped members 24 and 25 are apertured at 26 to expose the external spring contacts 23. The advantage of this construction is that the entire structure is less apt to be crushed by the pressure of a lamp and the interrupter element is more effectively inclosed against moisture and climatic conditions.

The construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is similar to that shown in Figs. 2 and 3 with the exception that the recess within which is disposed the interrupter element 16, is in the form of a hole 28 extending from the periphery of the disc 10 and terminating short of the opposite edge of the same. With this construction a portion of the insulating disc prevents bending of the conductor members 20 and subsequent crushing of the interrupter element.

An alternative method of mounting the conductor members 220 to the disc 200 has been shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Thus each member 220 has been provided with tabs 30 which are adapted to be clinched in holes 31 provided in the disc. A sheet 32 of insulating 5; material may be inserted between each conductor member and the disc to prevent shorting upon the interrupter element 16.-

In operation the device is merely inserted within a lamp socket and the socket plug or lamp screwed down upon the same. The conductor members 20, or in the case of the construction shown in Fig. 4c, the external spring contacts 23, Will make electrical connection with central contacts 13 and central contacts 14 of the socket and lamp respectively so or repeatedly vary or interrupt the electncal circuit to flash the lamp 12.

We claim: 1. A device of the class described adapted to be removably inserted in a lamp socket comprising a relatively thin wafer of insulating material having a recess extending across the center of the same, an interrupter element disposed within said recess, said element serving to repeatedly vary an electrical current, and a metallic member mounted upon one face of said wafer and adapted to span said recess.

2. A device of the class described adapted to be removably inserted in a lamp socket comprising a relatively thin wafer having a recess extending thru the center of the same, said recess occupying a minor portion of the cross-sectional area of the wafer as measured in a plane parallel to its faces, and means disposed within said recess for recurrently varying current supplied by the socket.

3. A device of the class described adapted to be removably inserted in a lamp socket comprising a relatively thin wafer of insulating material having a recess extending thru the center of the same, said recess occupying a minor portion of the cross sectional area of the wafer as measured in a plane parallel to its faces, and means disposed within said recess to repeatedly varying current supplied by the socket.

4. A device of the class described adapted to be removably inserted in a lamp socket comprising a relatively thin wafer of insulating material having a recess, said recess interrupting a minor portion of the cross sectional area of the wafer as measured in a plane parallel to its faces, means disposed within said recess for repeatedly varying an electrical current, and means secured to one face of the disc and spanning said recess to serve as one terminal conductor for said first named means.

5. A device of the class described adapted to be removably inserted in a lamp socket comprising a relatively thin wafer of insulating material having a recess, an interrupter element disposed within said recess, said element serving to repeatedly vary current supplied by the socket, and a pair of metallic members each secured to opposite faces of the wafer and spanning said recess, said members serving as terminal conductors for the interrupter element, said wafer serving to insulate said miembers from direct electrical contact with each other.

6. A device of the class described adapted to be removably inserted in a lampsocket comprising a relatively thin wafer of insulating material having a centrally arranged aperture extending laterally through the same, an interrupter element disposed within said aperture, said element serving to repeatedly vary current supplied by the socket, and a pair of metallic members each secured to opposite faces of the Wafer and spanning the recess formed by said aperture, said members serving as terminal conductors for the interrupter element, said Wafer serving to insulate said members from direct electrical contact With each other.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

MILTON H. SHOENBERG.

LESTER SCI-ION. 

